2002 Suburban K2500
I have a 2002 Suburban K2500 with the 8.1L engine. The muffler has developed a few holes in it. I temporarily patched it with a piece of sheet metal, pop rivets, and hi-temp RTV. The pipes seem in ...
Forum Discussion
subcamper wrote:
I talked to an engineer at the Tonawanda, NY plant that built the 8.1 engine. He said the oil consumption is due to the fact that it was designed to also run on natural gas. The rings had to be made of a harder material, which don't seal as well as softer rings.
FINALLY...the best explanation I have heard about this. I know when the 8.1 was new back in 01-02, the Internet was covered in complaints and warnings about "piston slap" because the engine is so noisy started cold. The noise coupled with the oil consumption had many yelling that "the sky is falling" and demanding that GM replace or repair their 8.1's.
I always wondered why GM didn't issue a TSB to the effect that these "complaints" are normal. All I know is I did a Blackstone report on the last oil change and this thing running like a top!
